More than 80 percent of low-income New Yorkers will, at some point in their lives, be faced with must face serious legal challenges, such as eviction, deportation, or and termination of their government benefits - and most will face these challenges alone, without the help of a lawyer.
By using a network of focusing on recruiting and supporting volunteers, our small staff is able to have an enormous impact.
this is vague. impact on what?
Get in Touch
For
Law firms interested in more information about how to volunteer, please contact: volunteering should contact
Elizabeta Markuci
VOLS Immigration Project Director
[email protected]
347.521.5707
To find out about training dates and how to become a school partner, please contact: contact
Anna Santamaria
Legal Assistant
The Dream Not Deferred Project
[email protected]
347.521.5719
The Dream Not Deferred Project is run by
VOLS' Immigration Project, which also Project provides expert support on immigration matters to volunteers in our Children's Project, and also runs our Dream Not Deferred Project.
The Dream Not Deferred Project
**You can't phrase it this way - "Launched
Launched in May 2011, the mission of the Dream Not Deferred Project" - because that means the mission was launched in may 2011.** Launched in May 2011, the Dream Not Deferred Project resolves is to resolve immigration issues for students in public New York City public high schools, enabling them school students so to that they can work legally or go to college. Most of our students came were brought to the United States as young children, when they were very young, with the promise of a better life. While others pursue the American Dream, As these young people near adulthood, they face increasing challenges to not only achieve the 'American Dream', but must even to fight just to remain in the country they call the consider their home.
VOLS recruits, trains,
We recruit, train, and mentors mentor pro bono lawyers to help these students overcome their immigration issues and give them a chance gain the opportunity to succeed.
Project Goals
The goals of the Dream Not Deferred Project are to:
Identify high school students who need legal assistance to obtain, or retain, lawful immigration status,
Recruit, train, and mentor pro bono lawyers in how to provide legal services to students with viable immigration relief
Help relief, and
Provide "know your rights" information to students who are currently unable to regularize their immigration statuses to understand their rights statuses.
"When I started high school, I was unsure if I was going to be able to attend college. I had watched my brother drop out of school due to the financial struggles he faced as an undocumented student. In the back of my mind, I knew college was a long shot, but I didn't allow that to stop me. I maintained my 3.4 average and held on to the little hope that my parents and I shared. My father, a United States citizen, had been working on the permanent residency applications for my brother and I for over a decade. At the end of the 10th grade, I met with my soon to be college counselor. Once the college counselor understood the challenges we faced, she introduced us to Liz. Liz found a volunteer lawyer to help us, and they worked extremely hard to make sure I was going to be set for the college process. Less than a year later, my brother and I received our Permanent Residency Cards. A new chapter has started and we are ready for it. Now I've experienced paid internships and was offered a job. This fall, I started applying to college (four SUNY and CUNY colleges and thirteen private colleges.) Thanks to VOLS and my pro bono lawyer, I was granted this awesome opportunity. I endured many sleepless nights as the thought of not attending college flowed into my mind, and now my worries are gone."
- Cynthia, Dream Not Deferred Project Client
Building Strong Relationships with School Communities
Currently, 19 public high schools, including 11 schools in the Urban Assembly network, participate in the project. Building strong relationships within these schools' communities – with students, parents, teachers, guidance counselors, college advisors, and administrators - is a key component of the project. We visit the schools frequently to conduct trainings for staff, parents, and students. We also produce bilingual "know your rights" materials on practical topics.
VOLS' expert staff works closely with each school community to identify students in need of immigration legal assistance and to build trust. We then thoroughly interview and assess each student's immigration case to determine the best course of action for him or her, and, when appropriate, we prepare cases for referral to our pro bono lawyers.
Involving Pro Bono Lawyers
Our volunteer lawyers are vital to the project's success. VOLS offers volunteers training and ongoing expert guidance to anyone who wants to help. throughout their representation of young people.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
On June 15, 2012, a year after the Dream Not Deferred Project was founded, Secretary Janet Napolitano of the Department of Homeland Security issued a memorandum outlining a new agency policy to exercise prosecutorial discretion and grant "Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals" (DACA) on a case-by-case basis. DACA provides temporary relief from deportation to young people brought to the United States as children.
DACA generated a great deal of enthusiasm, and also a great deal of confusion and misinformation among immigrant students. Because VOLS had already been working closely with staff and students in the schools, the Dream Not Deferred Project was in an excellent position to explain this new policy to students and their families, and to enable them take advantage of it.
VOLS held information sessions, conducted trainings for school staff, and created templates and resources for potential applicants. We have also organized clinics at law firms at which volunteer lawyers prepare DACA applications for students.
Months after the implementation of the new policy, Elizabeta Markuci, the Project Director, testified at a New York City Council hearing concerning DACA. She outlined a set of recommendations for the City to support Dreamers and their families and help close the gaps in who benefits from the DACA policy.
Watch Liz's testimony here: http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=220288&GUID=7F7CE1... (Begin watching from 1:53:47)
Although DACA offered hope to many young people, it is only a temporary remedy available to immigrant students. The Dream Not Deferred Project continues to provide legal assistance for permanent relief when possible.
Volume 1, Issue 1 OCTOBER 2013 Inside this issue:
- Thank you to our law firm part- ners
- Success stories and quotes
- How can you refer a student? Immigration Matters Welcome to the Immigration Project Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) launched the Dream Not Deferred program in May 2011 to support immigrant students in pursuing higher education and authorized employment. This program, directed by Elizabeta Markuci, helps students at high schools across New York City by connecting them with qualified attorneys who will represent them pro bono. The project was created after several undocumented students served through our School-based Children's Project regulated their immigration status with the help of a lawyer what does this mean?. When students told us they would never have sought legal assistance had a school official not intervened, we realized we needed to expand our services. The Dream Not Deferred program is designed to: (1) identify high school students who need legal assistance to obtain or retain lawful immigration status; (2) recruit, train, and mentor lawyers to provide legal services to students with viable immigration relief; and (3) provide "know your rights" information to students currently unable to regularize their immigration status. VOLS collaborates with schools to ensure that community outreach is a key component of this project. We provide training for guidance counselors, college advisors, and other school staff to create awareness about the challenges immigrant students face. We also give presentations to students and parents. We have helped countless young people to obtain legal assistance early enough to regulate their immigration status before graduation—in time to qualify for financial aid for college. If you wish to refer a student and your school is interested in partnering with VOLS, contact us through our Dream Not Deferred Hotline at: 347-521-5722. We are able to provide services only to high school students enrolled at New York City schools. Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 2 Success stories and quotes I found out about VOLS through my high school principal. When she learned about my undocumented status, she referred me to VOLS. When I came in for my first meeting , I was scared to talk about my situation because it was my first time talking to a lawyer and I didn't know what to expect. During our meeting, Liz and I discussed my options so I could decide which legal remedy would be best for me. She made me feel comfortable and helped me apply for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. After collecting all of my supporting documents, I attended a legal clinic where a volunteer lawyer helped me fill out application forms and file my case. I was nervous about revealing my status to the government and anxious as I waited to see if I was approved or not. Thankfully,Iwasapproved. IrecentlygraduatedfromhighschoolandnowIamlookingforwardtofinding agoodjob.Oneofmydreamsistoworkwithkidsinneed.Ihada greatexperienceandIwoulddefinitely encourage other kids in my situation to go and get help from VOLS . -K.S. In April of 2001, Kristen's aunt, a United States citizen, filed a family based immigrant visa petition for her brother, Kristen's father. This petition would allow him to apply to become a permanent resident of the United States, and his children could also receive derivative benefits until the age of 21. The visa petition was approved, and then placed in a queue. While Kristen's family waited 11 years before they could move ahead to the next stage in the process, Kristen's aunt died and the petition automatically revoked. The family sought legal assistance, but were told time and time again by whom? that they needed to wait for the law to change. Then in 2011, Kristen was screened by VOLS and learned that she and her father had a path to permanent immigration status by requesting "humanitarian reinstatement". Volunteer lawyers were matched to represent Kristen and they successfully reinstated the revoked visa petition. This year, Kristen became a permanent resident, and she is now working full time at a local government office. "Thank you for spending your "To catch the reader's attention, place an tiimnteresetingwsenteintcehorquotesfromathnestdory helpingusgain here." more knowledge on the topic of Deferred Action. All of us are now prepared to confront the issues that affect us....I am more motivated to reach for my goals." Student from Sunset Park High School Page 3 Immigration Matters Welcome to the Immigration Project (continued from page 1) In the summer of 2012, President Obama announced the introduction of "Deferred Action for Child- hood Arrivals" (DACA), an administrative remedy that helps young people brought to the United States as children obtain temporary relief from removal. Hoping to benefit from the two-year work authorization offered by DACA, many immigrant students have come to our school clinics seeking information and legal assistance. VOLS was able to help them, thanks to the assistance of our pro bono partners, who hosted and volunteered at legal clinics held thoughout the past year. We wish to express our sincerest gratitude to the following law firms for their contributions to the Dream Not Deferred project: Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett ~ Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson Weil, Gotshal & Manges ~ Davis, Polk & Wardwell ~ Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton Debevoise & Plimpton ~ Hughes, Hubbard & Reed ~ Winston & Strawn ~ Morrison & Foerster Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler ~ Proskauer Rose ~ White & Case Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom ~ Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale & Dorr Cravath Swaine & Moore ~ Schiff Hardin ~ Laura Devine & Associates Cyrus Mehta & Associates DID YOU KNOW? VOLS collaborated with the New Economy Project (formerly NEDAP). Eligible students could apply for the NYC DREAMER Loan fund, which provides interest-free loans to youth who were unable to file a request for DACA because they could not afford the $465 fee. VOLS' mission is to provide pro bono civil legal services to help vulnerable New Yorkers, and to leverage the resources of law firms to serve this population. We identify areas of legal need, create projects to meet those needs, and recruit and train volunteer lawyers to provide legal services. In addition to helping young immigrants, VOLS serves diverse populations across New York City including children, the elderly, claimants denied unemployment insurance benefits, incarcerated mothers, and low-income microentrepreneurs.